PROBLEM FOR VETERANS - Mismatch of Name

to cns-...@navy.gov.in, Chief of Army Staff, Army HQ, New Delhi, Air Chief, Secretary DESW, Sarvjit Singh, MOS Pensions, DOP NHQ, AG AHQ, M P 8 for JCO OR, Dir Officers MP 5 B AHQ, NAVPEN Sailors, CAPT LOIC Navpen     Feb 12, 2023, 1:00:27 PM                                                                                    

   Dear Sirs 

1.    A problem relating to XXXXXXXXXXX request to the DAV for incorporating a middle name -"xxxxxxxxx- in Mrs xxxxxxxxxxx name as hitherto recorded in Service documents has been resolved. Action has been initiated by the DAV with JCDA(AF) for issuing a Corr PPO.

RECAP

2.    Possibly fearing the consequences of demographic mismatch on being "Sparshed" in future, the veteran officer had applied to the DAV to include a middle name in XXXXXXXXname in Service Records, to conform to her Aadhar & PAN name. To this end, all necessary documentation( affidavit attested by 1st Class Judicial Magistrate, newspaper adverts, etc), as currently mandated, had been submitted. 

3.    Unfortunately, the retained document referred to by DAV for processing the application, the officer's CoS(the officer retired as far back as 1987), had what was later proved to be a typographical/clerical error in Mrs XXXXXX name as recorded- incorrectly shown as "XXXXX"  instead of "XXXXXXX".

4.    Accordingly, based on reference to an original document that was itself incorrect,  the officer's application was sought to be rejected, and DAV requested the veteran to render fresh documentation all over again( affidavit, newspaper adverts etc) seeking change from the incorrect name "XXXXXXXX" in the CoS to the proposed new name  "XXXXXXXXXXX".

5.    Fortunately, other documents in the veteran's possession included a letter from the erstwhile DPP&R, Air HQ  & a PPO with the correct name hitherto( as also her  approved DAV 64KB ECHS card with the correct name).( Surprising how the DAV verified the 64 Kb card application with a supposedly wrong name) Based on a representation mentioning these facts, DAV has accepted that the correct name hitherto "XXXXXXXXX" is required to be changed to "xxxxxxxxxxx". It is evident that the CoS held by the DAV as the reference record was itself incorrect.

LEARNINGS

6.    The above case brings out the  need to review the policy & procedure for retention of personal documents (all ranks) by Record Offices after the stipulated retention period is over.( This is being taken up after seeking under RTI the policy on retention of Personal documents)  It is suggested that all three Services adopt a digitised/paper format for perpetual retention that contains all the essential personal information( incl names, DOB of the spouse, children,  and other notified dependents), apart from necessary Service record details.

7.    Importantly, the Destruction Board must be mandated to ensure , prior to destruction of records after the retention period, that a check be carried out  for each and every individual, to ensure that there is no mismatch in  information as between documents. Any anomaly must be rectified prior to destruction of records, so that the retained document/s are certified for correctness.

Regards,

Wg Cdr Ravi Mani(Retd)

Member, Veterans Pension Group